Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will that ensure Ofcom prioritises user verification in its Illegal Content Codes of Practice.

Ofcom is the independent regulator for the Online Safety Act and it decides what measures go into its codes of practice. It issued its first codes of practice for the illegal content duties in December. These take effect on platforms in March. They will significantly improve online safety and incorporate measures in a wide range of areas, including user access. Ofcom will develop the codes iteratively and will launch a consultation in spring 2025 on further measures. In addition, Ofcom will issue its child safety codes of practice in the summer, and these will include age assurance measures.